Dr. Tom Michaud: Rethinking Foot Function, Running Mechanics, and Clinical Insight

In this special episode of Mic’d Up with ChiroUp, Dr. Brandon Steele welcomes the podcast’s first-ever guest, Dr. Tom Michaud.Dr. Michaud is a globally recognized expert in biomechanics and foot and ankle function, and the author of Human Locomotion and Injury-Free Running. With more than 40 years of clinical experience, his work has helped reshape how clinicians understand gait, injury patterns, tendon function, and lower extremity mechanics.In this conversation, Dr. Steele and Dr. Michaud discuss how experienced clinicians develop rapid visual pattern recognition in the first moments of an exam, and how that skill guides diagnosis and treatment decisions. The discussion also explores evolving research on the windlass mechanism, the role of intrinsic foot muscles in load sharing and energy return, and why traditional views of orthotics, immobilization, and running mechanics are being re-examined through a modern evidence-based lens.Dr. Michaud also shares practical clinical insights drawn from decades in practice—bridging research, biomechanics, and real-world patient care.Learn more about Dr. Michaud’s work at Human Locomotion.